The present invention relates to a method and device for application of electrotherapeutic treatments, in particular for treating pathologies such as cellulitis.
For curing a patient of these pathologies, several different treatments are now employed, which differ from each other based on the utilized operation principles. One of these treatments is represented by electrolipolysis. It consists in creating a localized electric field, generally by driving needle-shaped electrodes into the skin. Passage of electric current through the cellulitis mass causes a local increase in the production of substances capable of promoting removal of fats from the inside of the cells.
Another treatment consists of iontophoresis utilizing the migration principle of ions from within an electric field of weak-intensity current to cause penetration of drugs and active ingredients into the deepest layers of the skin through capillaries, sweat glands and hair follicles. The electric field is applied locally by plate electrodes, wrapped into a spongy cloth saturated with an aqueous solution of the selected drug. Iontophoresis is generally employed as an alternative solution to mesotherapy which, on the contrary, consists in executing multiple microinjections of specific medicaments into the cellulitis mass. Often associated with iontophoresis is a treatment phase providing application, by means of said electrodes, of the so-called Koltz waves, which deeply penetrate into the muscles causing the spontaneous contraction of same and therefore performing a sort of passive exercise.
Another typology of treatments against cellulitis is represented by ultrasonic hydrolipoclasis taking advantage of particular needle-shaped probes applied to the skin surface to utilize the lipolitic effect of ultrasonic waves.
It is apparent that during some of the above treatments (electrolipolysis mesotherapy, ultrasonic idrolipoclasis) microtraumas may occur due to penetration of needles into the skin, in particular in the case of sensitive skin with fragile and superficial capillaries.
In addition, in the known art, electrotherapeutic treatments must be carried out by medical staff, at qualified centres.
Since many sessions spaced in time are necessary in order to achieve good results, this brings about the inconvenience that the patient must each time go to the session place to be submitted to treatment, which results in a temporary interruption of his/her working activity. On the other hand, application of these treatments on one's own is of difficult accomplishment, due to the understandable difficulties encountered by the patient in preparing and positioning the electric-field generating circuit, in particular in the case in which the electrodes consist of needles.
It is also to note that these sessions are generally expensive, so that the long-lasting therapy involves a very high total cost for the patient.
It is a general object of the present invention to obviate the above mentioned drawbacks by providing a device enabling a patient to be submitted to the application of endermic electrotherapeutic treatments without the intervention of medical staff and without any necessity to address to qualified centres.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device enabling elimination of microtraumas and capillary breakings due to the needle penetration into the skin.